


librarians

by misura



Category: Discworld - Terry Pratchett, Doctor Strange (2016)
Genre: Ficlet Collection, Gen, Half Drabble
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-15
Updated: 2017-12-10
Packaged: 2018-12-15 18:11:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11811465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misura/pseuds/misura
Summary: It's a tough job, but someone has to do it.





	1. Chapter 1

Wong sighed, finding yet another title missing a moment after he'd turned his back. "Students, eh?"

"Ook," agreed the Librarian.

"Can't live with them, can live without them." Wong sighed again.

"Ook," said the Librarian philosophically, helping himself to his fifth banana.

"Actually, those are mine."

"Ook."

"You're very welcome."


	2. Chapter 2

Kaecilius stared.

A considerable amount of pure muscle and menace that seemed inconveniently immune to having up and down switched around on it due to already considering those concepts fairly flexible stared back.

"Master Kaecilius."

On the one hand, turning his back seemed the height of folly.

On the other hand, while the Ancient One was a hypocrite and a liar, she did not seem the type to set him up to be killed by some outer-dimensional creature that was currently displaying an intimidating row of yellow teeth. If only because they were, at present, in that sanctum of sanctums, the library.

All aspects of his current circumstances having been given their due consideration, Kaecilius turned and bowed, student-to-teacher (or rather, as he had come to think of it, betrayed-to-betrayer).

"I see you have met the Librarian." Her smile was a thing of tranquil treachery.

If this ... _thing_ was to be put between him and the _Book of Cagliostro_ , his current plans would require some recalibration - or possibly the addition of a considerable amount of opiates and one brave volunteer whose sacrifice would never again be spoken of.

Kaecilius considered the merits of subtlety. "I was unaware something had befallen our old one."

She chuckled. He wondered, not for the first time, how much she knew. "Oh, he's not ours. Rather, think of him as the original, the essence of which all other librarians are a reflection. He had a name, once, but over time, people have forgotten it, and so now he is known only by his title. Do you think it sad?"

Against his better judgment, Kaecilius turned for another look. "I could not say." He toyed with the idea of mentioning that in his experience, librarians rarely resembled monkeys, but it seemed altogether too likely to be the turn she wished for the conversation to take.

Thus, "Does it sadden _you_ , to be known only as the Ancient One? To never trust another human being with your true name?"

"It is not a matter of trust," she said. "Still, an interesting question. What do you think the answer to be, Master Kaecilius? Do you feel sorry for me?" The notion appeared to amuse her, as well it might.

"No," he said.

"Good." She turned, as if to leave him be, then turned back again. "Names are usually meaningless, you know. We do not name ourselves. The name I was given at my birth is merely a string of sounds my people considered pleasing to the ear. Would it really make you view me any differently, if you were to learn what it was?"

"An interesting question," Kaecilius said, which won him another smile.

"If there is a book on a high shelf you particularly want, you may wish to try bananas," she told him. "He's quite partial to those. Well, who among us isn't?"


End file.
